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The Mu2e Collaboration has proposed an experiment at Fermilab to search for the coherent decay of a muon to an electron in the Coulomb field of a nucleus with an expected sensitivity less than 10−16. In this article the physics motivations and status of the experiment are described.

Mu2e will search for the Charge Lepton Flavor Violating (CLFV) conversion of a muon into an electron in the field of a nucleus. A clean discovery signature is provided by the mono-energetic conversion electron ( E e = 104.96 MeV). If no events are observed, Mu2e will set a limit on the ratio between the conversion and the nuclear capture rate below 3 × 10 −17 (at 90% C.L.). In order to confirm that the observed candidate is an electron, the calorimeter resolution requirements are to provide E res < 10%, T res < 500 ps for 100 MeV electrons while working in vacuum and in a high radiation environment and high magnetic field. The calorimeter is made of two annular aluminum disks, each one filled with 674 pure CsI crystals read out by SiPMs. A sophisticated mechanics and cooling system has been developed to support the crystals and cool the sensors. Radiation hard analog and fast digital electronics have been developed. In this paper the QC tests performed on the produced components and the construction status are reported, as well as the results obtained on the large size prototype with test beam data and at a cosmic ray test stand.

The Mu2e calorimeter consists of 1348 pure CsI crystals coupled to two large area UV-extended Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) organized in two separate annular disks. An intense R&D phase has been pursued to check if this configuration satisfies the Mu2e requirements. In May 2017, a dedicated test has been performed at the Beam Test Facility (BTF) in Frascati (Italy) where the large calorimeter prototype (Module-0) has been exposed to an electron beam in the energy range between 60 and 120 MeV. The prototype consists of 51 crystals, each one readout by two Mu2e SiPMs. We present results for timing and energy resolution both for electrons at normal incidence (0°) and at a grazing impact angle (50°) more similar to the experiment configuration. At 100 MeV, an energy resolution of 5.4% (7.4%) at normal (grazing) incidence has been achieved in good agreement with Monte Carlo expectation. In the same energy range, a time resolution of ∼ XX ps (∼ YY ps) has been measured at normal incidence with 1 GHz (250 MHz) sampling rate. Dependence of time and energy resolutions as a function of beam energy and impinging angle are also presented.

The Mu2e calorimeter consists of 1348 undoped CsI crystals coupled to two large area UV-extended Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). A modular and custom SiPM layout, a 3×2 matrix of 6×6 mm2 monolithic SiPMs, has been developed to satisfy the Mu2e requirements. As well as ensuring the performances needed for the muon-to-electron conversion search, these photosensors have to guarantee a good reliability while operating maintenance-free in the Mu2e hostile environment: any failure can only be replaced during a long technical shut-down scheduled once a year. After testing prototypes from different vendors, we selected Hamamatsu and the final production of about 4000 pieces is now ongoing. A detailed Quality Assurance (QA) program is then mandatory to minimize the risk of an unexpected further degradation in the performances. The QA process for each photosensor includes a first visual inspection and the subsequent characterization of each of its monolithic cells by means of an automatized test station, able to measure the breakdown voltage, the gain and the dark current. For each production batch (∼300 pieces), 5 devices are exposed to a neutron fluency up to ∼1.4×1011 1 MeV (Si) eq. n/cm2; others 15 devices are undergone an accelerated aging in order to verify the Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) of the batch. A summary of the QA and the results for the firsts 4 production batches are presented in the paper.

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab searches for the charged-lepton flavor violating neutrino-less conversion of a negative muon into an electron in the field of an aluminum nucleus. The dynamics of such a process is well modeled by a two-body decay, resulting in a monoenergetic electron with an energy slightly below the muon rest mass (104.967 MeV). The calorimeter of this experiment plays an important role to provide excellent particle identification capabilities and an online trigger filter while aiding the track reconstruction capabilities. The baseline calorimeter configuration consists of two disks each made with ∼ 700 undoped CsI crystals read out by two large area UV-extended Silicon Photomultipliers. These crystals match the requirements for stability of response, high resolution and radiation hardness. In this paper we present the final calorimeter design.

The Mu2e experiment at FNAL aims to measure the charged-lepton flavor violating neutrinoless conversion of a negative muon into an electron. The conversion results in a monochromatic electron with an energy slightly below the muon rest mass (104.97 MeV). The calorimeter should confirm that the candidates reconstructed by the extremely precise tracker system are indeed conversion electrons while performing a powerful μ/e particle identification. Moreover, it should also provide a high level trigger for the experiment independently from the tracker system. The calorimeter should also be able to keep functionality in an environment where the background delivers a dose of ~ 10 krad/year in the hottest area and to work in the presence of 1 T axial magnetic field. These requirements translate in the design of a calorimeter with large acceptance, good energy resolution O(5%) and a reasonable position (time) resolution of ~ < 1 cm (<0.5ns). The baseline version of the calorimeter is composed by two disks of inner (outer) radius of 351 (660) mm filled by 1860 hexagonal BaF2 crystals of 20 cm length. Each crystal is readout by two large area APD's. In this paper, we summarize the experimental tests done so far as well as the simulation studies in the Mu2e environment.

We present an image processing software suite, based on the Matlab environment, specifically designed to be used as a forensic tool by law enforcement laboratories in the analysis of crime scene videos and images. Our aim is to overcome some drawbacks which normally appear when using standard image processing tools for this application, i.e. mainly the lack of full control and documentation on the operations which have been performed on the images, and the absence of new, more sophisticated algorithms which can provide improved performances and “make the difference” in critical cases.

In 2018, Kīlauea Volcano experienced its largest lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption and caldera collapse in at least 200 years. After collapse of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent on 30 April, magma propagated downrift. Eruptive fissures opened in the LERZ on 3 May, eventually extending ∼6.8 kilometers. A 4 May earthquake [moment magnitude (M w) 6.9] produced ∼5 meters of fault slip. Lava erupted at rates exceeding 100 cubic meters per second, eventually covering 35.5 square kilometers. The summit magma system partially drained, producing minor explosions and near-daily collapses releasing energy equivalent to M w 4.7 to 5.4 earthquakes. Activity declined rapidly on 4 August. Summit collapse and lava flow volume estimates are roughly equivalent—about 0.8 cubic kilometers. Careful historical observation and monitoring of Kīlauea enabled successful forecasting of hazardous events.

We present results acquired by using in-situ diagnostics based on atomic and molecular oxygen absorption spectroscopy during laser ablation in the presence of an O2 environment. Our investigation provides detailed space- and time-resolved information on the relative density of atomic and molecular oxygen in the plume, and demonstrates a strong correlation between their behavior. The results shed light on the occurrence of reactive-collisional processes involving the ablated material and the environment, leading to O2 dissociation.

AbstractWe have measured the cross section σ(e+e–→π+π–γ) with the KLOE detector at DAΦNE, at an energy W=Mφ=1.02 GeV. From the dependence of the cross section on \\(m(^+^-)=W^2-2WE_\\), where Eγ is the energy of the photon radiated from the initial state, we extract σ(e+e–→π+π–) for the mass range 0.35

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